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IF YOU HAVE been paying attention to the internet this weekend, chances are you have seen at least one mention of Pokémon Go.
For those confused, Pokémon Go is a free app that has taken the internet by storm. It only had a limited release – launching in Australia first on Wednesday before hitting the US on Thursday – but it has exploded in popularity.
It’s been so popular that it comes close to surpassing Twitter in daily active users, and Nintendo’s value has increased by $6 billion because of it.
While it’s not officially available here yet, Android users can download the APK files to play the game now (be very careful about where you download it from), but if you’re confused as to why people are going mad about Pokémon Go, you’re not alone.
So what exactly is Pokémon Go?
Pokémon – short for pocket monsters – is a popular videogame series from Japan which lets you capture and train monsters so you can battle them against other players.
Twenty years after the originals were released, Pokémon Go, a free app which places a particular focus on exploration, makes its debut. The original aim, to catch them all, is still the main focus here.
It’s worth mentioning how Pokémon Go started out as an April Fools’ joke back in 2014. The end product might look different but the love for the idea – 18 million views and 122,000 upvotes for one YouTube video – was enough to convince Nintendo and Niantic Labs that it was worth exploring.
Pokémon Go is split up into two main parts. The first part is the actual exploring – a key part of the entire series – as it uses your location to track where you are.
Looking at the map, you will see that around you are numerous Pokéstops (real-life areas of interest like statues, monuments and graffiti that you can visit to get items) and Gyms (where you battle against other players) which you must physically walk to.
There is a lot of walking involved here – this is as much a fitness app as it is a gaming app so bring your walking shoes.
The first part of the game is to find Pokémon. It’s like a hot and cold treasure hunt – monsters don’t appear on your map until you’re close to them. When one pops up on your map, you tap on it to start catching it.
The game switches you to an augmented reality mini-game where the monster appears in front of you through your camera.
Part of the fun of the series is the tension involved in catching a monster. A monster like Pidgey is common and easy to catch but a rare monster like the Wartortle above will require more effort to catch.
Catching the same monsters repeatedly is the only way you can evolve them. This is essential if you want to fight other players and take over gyms.
So who is behind it?
The company behind Pokémon Go is Niantic Labs which has a lot of experience in location-based apps and services. Its founder John Hanke originally founded Keyhole, which created Google Earth, and Niantic Labs was spun out of Google itself.
It already has a similar app out called Ingress, which follows the same template as Pokémon Go but with a sci-fi backdrop.
It has a core group of players and regularly holds gatherings where the two main teams can play against each other – Dublin recently played host to one last month – but isn’t near the level of popularity as Pokémon Go.
Why the hell did it explode in popularity?
That can be tied into the very concept of Pokémon itself. The game has always been about exploration – travelling through fields, towns, mountains and other areas in search of rare Pokémon to catch – and Pokémon Go gets people out and about.
The opportunity to do some real-world exploring makes it appealing to many fans.
It’s also worth considering just how beloved the series is as a whole. Pokémon may have started out on the Game Boy but it became one of Nintendo’s strongest franchises.
People walking around glued to their screens searching for Pokémon. That’s a recipe for disaster, isn’t it?
Compared to people being glued to their phones for texts/social media/YouTube etc, eh?
As with anything popular, there have been positive and negative stories surrounding the game since its launch.
One incident in the US saw robbers use the app to lure players to them but were arrested, another saw a player discover a dead body while searching for a Pokéstop, one man saw his home marked as a Gym which led to numerous players visiting the area. (Although some of the other ‘viral’ stories have proven to be hoaxes).
Yet at the same time, there have been numerous heartwarming stories. Some players who are suffering from depression and anxiety have claimed the app has encouraged them to leave the house, some players have said the app has encouraged them to be more active, and others have made friends through it.
It’s early days but the more popular something is, the more likely stories like the ones above will appear. Granted, you do need to be careful about where you’re going and standing but the game only requires you to be within a certain radius of a monster or landmark.
But it’s going to be a fad, right?
It might be. Bloomberg referred back to Nintendo’s last massive success, the Wii, was very popular initially but the novelty wore off.
The popularity has put pressure on the Pokémon Go servers and while the game is solid, it might not keep people for the long-term.
Niantic says it will be introducing more features over time, like trading, but for now, it still has to roll out the game to the rest of the world.
The worst part is just how much it drains your battery. The game is very demanding on your phone – it’s using your GPS, your camera and your CPU to show the Pokémon in front of you – and it doesn’t work in the background.
But Pokémon Go has potential as a game and also as a way of creating new communities.
It needs some fine-tuning but if it develops a strong social element, where people get together with teams and team up to fight/defend gyms, that will give it an edge.
Familiarity may encourage people to download it, but new friends could be the reason why they’ll keep playing it.
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As a new driver I always try and do the speed limits and u get some lad driving up ur arse putting pressure on u to speed up. The Irish really have no patience. Breaking the limit is the norm for most
I assume you’re not in the overtaking lane doing the speed limit in these instances?
I deliberately slow down when the ass bandits turn up. Generally they back the hell off.
Or just tap on the brakes for a second..that usually wakes the bufoon behind you, up. They dont really want to rear end you but think they might if you keep braking. They’ll pull back then
Dé Bhailis Ade just stick to the speed limit and ignore them. You are doing nothing wrong. My driving instructor used to always say “don’t worry about what’s behind you, focus on the road in front of you” (because I was constantly checking the rear-view mirror when learning to drive). If they rear-end you in a collision, the insurance companies usually place 100% of the blame on them. Mounting a dashcam pointed out the back window is good for peace of mind.
You dangerous fool.
Your a Danger to All,you should be Banned.
Daisy, Spot on, that is the proper procedure to warn off those who are committing the offence of tailgating, which is the no 1 cause of road crashes. I got that advice many years ago from highly qualified police officers in UK.
Ignorance and stupidity is the very definition of Irish driving
Driving to the speed limits is drawing the wrath of Beamer knobs and people carrier drivers who will literally puck you off the road with panic to get somewhere 10 seconds quicker.
In the words of the late Seamus Brennan
You can’t expect people to respect the speed limit if they are unrealistic.
Something needs to be done in the cities 30mph in London is about right.
60km on the stretch of the Naas Road in the photo above is ridiculous and is purely revenue raising.
I’ve never seen a speedtrap on it during the week because it is too busy and traffic travels at 6kph not 60.
However weekends are different so ka-ching.
Jealous of BMW drivers mc ?
He must be, ive a 520d and never speed and have to points or convictions.
‘Have no* points or convictions’
You don’t have to be breaking the speed limit to be speeding. Driving too fast for road conditions is also speeding. Any driver who says they have never done either of these is a liar.
Looks like there are a lot of people envious of BMW drivers, the sados
Take their cars and crush them in front of them.
**Disclaimer**
Daisy has been paid a fee by the Irish Automotive Industry for her contribution.
I feckin’ wish!!
Just a question
I was told once that if your caught doing double the posted speed limit, ie, over 100 in a 50kph area that you didn’t get points but it was an automatic court summons and loss of licence.
Is this true?
No its not true. There is nothing mandatory. It’s the gardais discretion. You can be summoned directly if they want to.
Fair enough
P.J. from what I understand speeding offences up to an including driving without due care and attention are dealt with in the first instance by FCPN’s – if it’s not paid it will eventually go to Court. However, if the manner of driving while doing twice the speed limit is considered careless or dangerous then you can be charged/summonsed. There is no FCPN’s for those offences.
We don’t have Officers, we have Gardaí, or Guards even. We’re not Brits. Get it right Journal.
Clown
Not bright enough…
Don’t be insulting clowns.
Only Guards?
What about:…the pigs…..the fuzz….the cops….the coppers….the boys in blue…the bobbies …the Peelers.
(To name a few).
If you’re going to speed then take off the license plates and keep going if you see a Garda van.
Ohhh, that’s very cheeky!
People will never get it. Simply don’t speed. Problem sorted
And if you kill someone you can chuckle to yourself that you weren’t caught. Maybe speed past their funeral without your plates. Idiot.
Well if he could get 1.21 gigawatts he would never be late again
He’d still need to get to 88 miles per hour
True but he wouldn’t need roads
Needs more jigga-watts
Not sure how the Gardai have time to service a Twitter account while there’s a major gangland feud ongoing in Dublin city amongst the usual ongoings. In saying that, I am totally against speeding as it puts lives at risk.
Cause all 11500 are involved in the investigation? Not really.
I suppose one person updating twitter Is a major draw on Garda Resources.
Whataboutery
Some amount of immature children here. The speed limits are set deal with it. It might be unfair but sure such is life get over it.
Morons. Should be put off the road for 6 months when caught like that.
While we’re on the subject of poor driving. Get out of the middle lane on the motorway unless you’re actually overtaking!! Keep left as per the rules of the road. Or else get in the f@#king sea!
And licence!
Blanchardstown speed checkpoint on Naas rd???
Start by reducing/clamping the speed in which a vehicle can do in the manufracturing department. A vehicle should not be able to exceed the speed of 100kph – 120kph. Its like giving a child a ninety-nine and telling them they are not allowed to have the flake, when the power of the vehicle can do up to 200kph
Start by having proper limits for the road. 50km/h on a wide dual carriageway and 80km/h on back roads with grass growing down the middle is madness.
Police the idiots that think it’s ok to drive 40km/h in a 100km/h zone with 20 cars behind them without pulling in at letting them pass. This only forces other idiots to get impatient and take risks.
Desmond.. will you grow up and behave like you live in a 1st world country in 2016… less of that shitte.. do your self a favour and stop that nonsense now. Thanks
People giving out about 80km zones thinking they should be 100km, 50km when ye think it should be 80km.
What’s the rush with people?
Slow and steady wins the race.
I do not understand any person that speeds, in fact, they are simply idiots.
Once out of the cities there should be stretches of motorway without speed limits as on the German Autobahns. Obviously drivers would adjust their speed to allow for weather conditions and traffic volume. This would enable Gardaí to monitor more closely the roads that pose a real danger. It would be interesting to compare the number of fatal accidents on Irish motorways with the number killed on other roads. The ratio should be interesting. For instance the M7 (two lane) inward to Naas is 120 kph and the three lane motorway to Newlands is 100 kph. Doesn’t make sense!!!
In Germany are they thought motorway driving during their instruction? Do they follow the rules of the road when driving on motorways there? Because there’s no mandatory instruction on motorway driving in Ireland, and you only have to spend a short amount of time on a motorway here to see that there are stretches of motorway where people just stay in the middle or right-hand lanes without budging. These are not people I would with trust with being allowed to drive any speed they want. Let’s instruct our drivers better and learn to follow the existing rules before calling for German style autobahns.
“Obviously drivers would adjust their speed to allow for weather conditions and traffic volume.” In Ireland? you obviously don’t drive!
At the risk of 100 red thumbs , they say speed cameras don’t work over 120mph as the number plate picture becomes blurred. Is it true?
Do you people realise you’re replying to an automated bot who will never read your replies unless it becomes sentient, at which point you-ll be far too busy dealing with the imminent robot apocalypse for any of rhis to matter?
Did she mean she’s pregnant?
I’m late! I’m late! He should have said ‘Don’t panic, there’s still 9 months to go….’
I’m just wondering where the 3 thumbs up come from?
Doing 121 kph in 50 kph zone represents dangerous and reckless driving.
That is a serious criminal offense which can land you in prison.
(It’s not a minor offense like doing 53 kph in a 50 kph zone,for which you get a 90 euro speeding ticket and 3 points on your license.)
have your say